Scannal - Terry Keane

The Late Late Show May 1999 - Terry Keane & Gay Byrne

Charles Haughey

Terry Keane & Gay Byrne

Charles Haughey

Monday 3rd March 2008 RTÉ ONE 19.30hrs

"It was the most spectacular betrayal of trust, of love, of a relationship that was possible. Because although she said she still loved him & that he still loved her - it was laying everything out for money. "Terry Prone -Media Consultant

The Late Late Show has stopped and shocked the nation many many times -but just when Gay Byrne was readying himself for retirement and the audience might have thought - well that's it - the end of an era -just then on his 2nd Last show -May 14th 1999 -Gaybo pulled the ultimate rabbit out of the hat and revealed before the nation that Charlie Haughey had had a 27year affair with journalist Terry Keane.

Nobody can deny the impact of that interview - it changed the way we view political history in Ireland. But what does it tell us about Charlie?Or even Terry ?More importantly what does it tell us about ourselves ?How was it that for over a quarter of a century one of the most controversial political figures in Ireland conducted an extra marital affair - hidden in plain sight ?